A Very Shudder Holiday: ‘Christmas Presence’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Christmas Presence’.
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One particular element that people love when it comes to holiday stories, is the sheer fact that a fair number of them deal with the notion of redemption. Because there is something quite powerful and about enjoying a story in print or on screen, that features sour people who are eventually infected by the wonder of the season, which of course... motivates them to change their life (or their lives) for the better. And what makes that tried and true plot so powerful, is the sheer fact that it speaks to the season's sense of renewal and these stories immediately lift our spirts up and give us hope, and that is precisely why we will drop everything to watch It's a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Carol when they pop up on television, so we can simply soak up the good vibes they send our way.

But while it is indeed nice to enjoy a story that genuinely explores the magic of the holiday season and be reminded of the fact that being kind to others costs us nothing, the fact of the matter is, these types of stories at their core, are somewhat unrealistic. Because there arrives a point in our lives, where we come to realize that some people are set in their ways, to the point where even the experiences that Scrooge goes through wouldn’t change their course in the slightest. Which sometimes does leave one to wonder, what a holiday tale might look like if by chance it was assembled in a more realistic manner, one where the main characters refused to learn the life lessons the spirits are trying to teach them and it just so happens, that Shudder plays host to an exclusive/original that explores that very notion in Christmas Presence.

Now in this particular film, we are transported to the middle of nowhere in England, where a woman named McKenzie has rented out an absolutely gorgeous countryside home for Christmas. One that can host all of her friends and all of their respective problems and egos and well, once everyone arrives at this magnificent abode, it truly seems as though this group of friends are going to be able to put their differences and issues aside and enjoy the season in the most positive way imaginable. But once one member of their group disappears abruptly, the positive mood disappears and is replaced by utter fear. For they quickly realize that something sinister from beyond is stalking them and its arrival is going to force the group to make quite the difficult decision. In that, they can either put their issues aside and work together in order to survive this onslaught of evil, or they can stick with what works and hope for the best. But either way, they will have to decide quickly as to which path to take… for what lurks in the darkness is quite impatient and it is only a matter of time before it makes a horrifying choice of its own. 

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So, what makes this particular horror film worth the audience’s while, is the sheer fact that it really does feature a bevy of lead characters that are genuinely sour people. The kind that are all about their ego or close-minded views and initially, that is a bit off-putting for certain. Because we tend to expect our main characters to be heroic or good in nature. But it doesn’t take long for the viewer to realize that this is all part of a master plan to explore as to what a holiday story looks like when bad people are unwilling to learn the lessons being sent their way and the end result of that… is a tale that is downright fascinating. Because that particular twist adds a genuine sense of realism to this story since we’ve all known folks who refuse to let go of their crap when a crisis arrives, and it leaves the viewer quite curious as to how someone like that is going to respond when the matter at hand gets worse.

But while that does make for quite the intriguing experience, the wonder of this film doesn’t end with its shocking exploration of how people sometimes refuse to let go of fear and negativity. Because this is also a top-notch horror film as well, one that does a wonderful job of manipulating its audience emotionally. A feat that this movie accomplishes, by taking its time to set up its story. Because early on, we spend a lot of time with the characters and properly get to know their quirks, and our curiosity as to why they are so jaded and ignorant, lowers our guard just enough that when the horror hits, it hits hard and the movie doesn’t let up from there. In fact, this is a story that simply gets bleaker the longer it continues along, to the point where the shocking ending of this tale leaves you utterly silent because you simply weren’t expecting the finale of this story to be so incredibly devastating.

If anything, all of these elements make this a supremely unique watch, simply because it serves as the anthesis to the traditional holiday story. Because there is no character growth to be found here, nor is there any semblance of redemption. Just a bevy of bad people who think that their rotten ways can somehow get them out of another jam and that’s quite bold to say the least. Because even holiday horror stories tend to have some kind of bright side embedded into their fabric, but this one could care less about such matters, it simply wants to assault the senses and it does a fine job of that. Because this one stays with you for quite a while after it has come to an end, thanks to the fact that it puts the worst monster of all on display in this horrific holiday tale; the one that we carry in the depths of our souls.

‘Christmas Presence’ is streaming now exclusively on Shudder.

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